Kanko Keizai Shimbun (Tourism Economic Newspaper) has announced the results of the 39th “Nippon’s Top 100 Hot Springs.”
This ranking is based on votes from staff of travel agencies and online travel agencies (OTAs). The top spot, as in the previous year, went to Kusatsu Onsen. From second place onward, the ranking is as follows: Gero Onsen, Dogo Onsen, Beppu Hatto Onsen (the eight major hot springs of Beppu), Noboribetsu Onsen, Arima Onsen, Awara Onsen, Ibusuki Onsen, Kinosaki Onsen, and Kurokawa Onsen.
Notable rank increases were seen along the Hokuriku Shinkansen (bullet train) line, such as Awara Onsen jumping from 23rd to 7th, Yamashiro Onsen from 25th to 14th, Yamanaka Onsen from 39th to 19th, and Unazuki Onsen from 41st to 28th.
Wakura Onsen, which suffered damage in the 2024 Noto Peninsula Earthquake, remained in 13th place, the same position as last time. According to Kanko Keizai Shimbun, “Although only a limited number of accommodation facilities have resumed accepting overnight guests, it appears to have attracted votes from travel companies wishing to support recovery and reconstruction.”
Other hot spring areas that made significant gains in the rankings include Suwa Onsen, Konpira Onsenkyo, Nagato Yumoto Onsen, Hida Takayama Onsen, and Sukayu Onsen. Among hot spring resorts that were outside the top 100 last year, Okuhita Onsen, Iizaka Onsen, Hamanako Kanzanji Onsen, Matsushima Onsen, Yuda Onsen, and Nikko Onsen all entered the top 100 this year.
